


The PM's Enforcer

by ml101



Series: Birthday Boys [2]
Category: Cobra (TV 2019), The Thick of It (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Crossover, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-14
Updated: 2020-04-14
Packaged: 2021-03-02 03:29:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 961
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23648515
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ml101/pseuds/ml101
Summary: With his recent catastrophe with the press, Robert Sutherland is in dire need of someone who could make the impossible--possible. You know, spin catastrophe to success.Anna Marshall took up the challenge and really Robert should have known better.
Series: Birthday Boys [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1702498
Comments: 2
Kudos: 7





	The PM's Enforcer

**Author's Note:**

> A friend of mine on TUMBLR (meusnomenag) is the mastermind of this prompt.
> 
> And of course HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Robert Carlyle and Peter Capaldi!

Robert sighed as he basically tossed the newspaper he had in his hand. Since Peter's dismissal and the general election, he had yet to find someone willing to handle the press for him. He and Anna could only do so much on top of everything else they have on their plate, handling press briefings took a whole different person -- let alone the energy.

"We need to find someone."

 _Speak of the devil._ Robert removed his glasses and tossed them on the side of his desk as Anna sat herself on the couch opposite his desk. He pinched the bridge of his nose, fighting a coming headache and Anna hasn't even spoken a word yet.

"Look," began Anna, giving him one of her signature looks. "Just tell me what you want -- and I'll find the perfect person."

"If I knew that myself, then Peter's post would have been filled the moment he ran to Archie," said Robert with a sigh as he leaned back on his chair.

"You must have some idea," pressed Anna. "You're not fit to address the press on a daily basis. You're mad if you think you can. I can barely tolerate them during a brief."

"We've offered it to everyone we know," said Robert. "Screw it. Maybe we should just go and--"

"We are not asking Peter," said Anna with finality. "He stabbed you once, he won't hesitate to do it again."

"Then who?" asked Robert, finally standing up with his frustration of not being to find a decent Press Secretary. "You know what we need? Someone who can make unlikeable things likeable."

"Isn't that how one of the producers from that SciFi show convinced their main actor to join the cast?" asked Anna teasingly as Robert turned and glared at her. "Can be done in fiction, but might be impossible for your every day politics, Robert."

"Shot in a dark," said Robert with a sigh. "Maybe we don't need a Press Secretary. I'll just go and create a Twitter account and do all the press briefings with a character limit."

Anna shook her head but stopped short and smiled, making Robert slightly nervous. "Anna? What is it?"

"You're on to something," said Anna as she stood and quickly walked out of the room, her hand already feverishly typing on her phone. "Maybe we don't need a Press Secretary."

"Anna, what --"

But she was long gone as Robert just sighed and went back to his paperwork. Anna Marshall on the other hand had reached her office and was already on the phone. Robert was right, they didn't need a Press Secretary--that could be filled quickly if they had the right Director of Communications.

* * *

"What the actual fuck, Anna?!"

Anna glared at him as she surveyed the coffee shop -- it was early, yes. But it's not like the place was empty. They were already getting looks but this was what the man they were scheduled to meet had demanded. If they had the balls to meet him in public, then he was going to take the job.

"We need a Director of Communication, a real functioning one," argued Anna. "Do you know anyone better?"

"And you couldn't have consulted this with me before calling up the man?" asked Robert as he stirred his coffee which seemed to do a passable impression of a whirlpool in a cup.

"Here I thought you'd jump at the idea of having another Scot working with you," said Anna with a grin as she took a sip of her tea.

"But Malcolm Tucker?" hissed Robert as he eyed the door. Anna couldn't hide the smirk on her face as Robert looked like he either wanted the man to arrive already or not at all. The resulting look on his face was too comical and she wished she could take a picture. "Either this is going to be the best or most chaotic thing we’ve ever done."

"I think the fucking term is omnishambles, Sutherland." came the voice and Robert jumped in surprise as Malcolm Tucker emerged from the back of the cafe. Robert turned and glared at Anna. "And with how amazingly your previous Press Secretary performed, even a fucking monkey would be a step up." He turned to Anna. "Didn't think you had the balls-Anna. Then again I'm talking to the women who hired Francine Bridge."

"How's business, Malcolm?" asked Anna without missing a beat as Robert turned to her in confusion. "Heard the rumor, didn't believe it until you asked to meet us here."

"Can't complain," replied Malcolm with a shrug. "Definitely less stress than what I previously did."

"But you do miss smelling the blood in the water," said Anna with a smile.

Malcolm gave her one of his notorious smirks then turned to Robert Sutherland who was still looking at him apprehensively. "You certainly did a fucking good job in risking your career for her. She's a bloody keeper."

"Meeting us in public where many passing by would have already taken a picture of the three of us together," began Robert. "You sure you still have it in you?"

"Is that a challenge?" asked Malcolm, fixing him with a look. "My previous party are fucking themselves twice over and this is after they left me to fall for their own fucking mistakes--and they've lost the election more times than I can count." He sighed and looked around. "Then again, I never thought I'd see a bloody Conservative actually do a good fucking job. The world must be fucking ending tomorrow."

"So?" asked Anna with a knowing smile.

"What the hell," said Malcolm with a smile that Robert wished didn't make him nervous. "Like you said, I do miss the blood in the water. When do I start?"


End file.
